IX International Symposium on Lightning Protection

26th-30th November 2007 Foz do Iguau, Brazil

BRAZILIAN PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT OF CLASS 2 POLYMERIC SURGE ARRESTERS FOR TRANSMISSION LINE APPLICATION (TLA)
Adriano A. Dellallibera Antnio Donizetti de Andrade Ana Cristina Guar Bezerra Jos Vicente Pereira Duarte Paulo Mrcio Batista Gis Rubens Leopoldo Markiewicz
BALESTRO - adrianoad@balestro.com CEMIG - andonize@cemig.com.br CEMIG - anacris@cemig.com.br CEMIG - vicente@cemig.com.br CEMIG - pgois@cemig.com.br CEMIG - - rlmark@cemig.com.br

Main authors address: Antonio Donizetti de Andrade - Rua Osrio de Morais, 281 - Quarteiro 14 - Prdio 10. CEP 32.210-140 - Contagem - MG - Brazil.

Abstract This paper shows the steeps of Brazilian class 2 ZnO lightning surge arrester development and production, aiming to attend the goal of CEMIG transmission lines performance improvement against lightning discharges action. The description of CEMIG transmission lines performance, before and after the ZnO lightning arresters installation, the necessity of use of ZnO lightning surge arrester, the prototypes manufacture, tests, problems and solutions are presented.

Insulation Level (BIL) (as in the case of 69 and 138 kV transmission line), it cannot be possible to assure the protection or the transmission line desired performance with conventional solutions, such as the use of ground wires and investments in the grounding patches. In this in case, the use of lightning surge arresters, installed in parallel with the insulators strings, is becoming an alternative increasingly more used currently. CEMIG began to install lightning surge arresters in its transmission lines from the appearance of the polymer housing ZnO lightning arresters; however these equipment have been imported because these products didnt exist in the national market. The price and the difficulty of acquisition of lightning surge arresters in the external market had motivated the development of this work.

1 INTRODUCTION The protection against lightning discharges in transmission lines has for focus the direct discharges and is guaranteed by means of two complementary functions to be assured in the project. The first one of these functions is the capture of the discharges by the protection system, consisting of ground wire (also known as steel overhead ground or guard cable). The ground wires attract the discharges that, in the absence of the captor system, would be deviated to the phase conductors. The second function consists of draining to the ground, through the proper metallic towers and their ground patches, the currents of eventual discharges caught by the ground wires. This must be made of such way that the resultant over-voltage on the tower body and, more accurately, over-voltage on the insulators strings, in function of currents circulation in the towers and the couplings between conductors phase and ground wires, are kept below the Basic Insulation Level (BIL) of the insulators strings, avoiding the transmission lines outages caused by disruptive discharges of return, also known as back flashover. However, when the local conditions of ground resistivity are very unfavorable, associated with the lower Basic

2 DESCRIPTION CEMIG Power Supply has about 21,148 km of transmission lines, at voltages that vary from 34.5 kV to 500 kV, where 16,119 km are constituted of 161 kV lines and below. The Minas Gerais State, region where CEMIG is located, has a high lightning discharges rate that, associated with the high ground resistivities, affects negatively the operational performance of transmission lines. About 75% of transmission lines outages are due to this phenomenon. In 1993, CEMIG created the Work Group of Transmission Lines Performance Improvement Studies.

Initially, the studies had defined the adoption of conventional measures (ground resistances improvement, insulation improvement, line shield, etc.) for lines performance improvement; however in many cases they had not been enough to get better power quality. So, from 1996 CEMIG began to adopt alternative measures to improve lines performance with the installation of ZnO surge arresters of polymeric housing.

Lines faults in the last 5 years Voltages from 34.5 to 138 kV

25% Lightning Other causes

75%

The high cost of the ZnO lightning surge arrester forced the Work Group to look for alternatives to give continuity to the lines performance improvement program. 2.1 Statistical faults data
16,119 km => Total lines lenth from 34.5 to 138 kV voltages

2.1.3 Number of faults by transmission line voltages

AK= number of faults/100 km/year

25 20 15 10

23.08 9.12 3.79

138kV 10,574 km 66%

34.5kV 965 km 6% 69 kV 4,580 km 28%

0 34,5kV 69kV 138kV

2.1.4 Number of faults / 100 km / year

TRANSMIS SION LINE

kV

2.1.1 Transmission lines lengths

5,078 faults due to lightning in the last 5 years

138kV 2,063 faults 41% 21%

34.5kV 1,063 faults

38%

69kV 1,952 faults

Diamantina Gouveia Ouro Preto 1 Ponte Nova Ouro Preto 2 Mariana 1/Samarco/ Alegria Itutinga Minduri Peti Sabar Itutinga Trs Coraes 2 Arax Jaguara

34.5 138

Length Install AK AK (km) ation before average year install- value of lation the last 5 years 31.6 1996 155.06 46.84 66.5

1997

30.87

6.61

138

38.9

1998

40.94

0.00 1.55 *** 3.59 7.54 2.30

138 69 138

44.6 61 87.0

1998 1998 1999

19.40 43.64 16.2 *

138

60.9

2006

24.0 *

0.00**

2.1.2 Faults in 34.5 to 138 kV transmission lines

2.1.5 Lines performance improvement where lightning surge arrester were installed

AK = number of faults/100 km/year due to lightning * Estimated AK Improvement studies made during the transmission line project ** First year (last raining period)

In this in case, critical sections of the TL are raised initially, considering: . The higher points of the TL profile are identified; The registers of faults localization from the disturbance digital recorder; Mapping of locations of ground flashes in the TL route in the last five years; Ground resistance measurements of the most exposed towers on the TL. 3.2.1 - Definition of the number of ZnO lightning surge arresters for structure For each critical section defined in item 3.2 is simulated, through Program ATP and of the Program SIGMA SLP, the installation of ZnO surge arresters, varying their number for structure in function of the reduction of the expected rate of TL outages. The analysis is completed with the relation cost x benefit that the number of surge arresters / structure in the sections will improve the TL performance. 3.2.2 - Analysis of the energy and class definition of the ZnO lightning surge arrester Some TL spans are simulated in Program ATP, considering the ZnO lightning surge arresters installed in the phases, varying number of surge arresters for structure, however keeping the same number for each structure in the section. The objective of this simulation is to define the energy levels to be absorbed by the lightning surge arresters in view of the limit of energy absorption capacity of the equipment. The absorption capacity of surge arrester is evaluated for indirect and direct discharges. From the point of view of energy class, the lightning surge arrester of CLASS 2 has attended the expectations of operational performance for the systens phase to phase voltages of 34.5 kV, 69 kV, 138 kV and 230 kV for discharges currents limits of 100 kA, whose probability of being exceeded is of 4%. In some cases, a joint improvement of ground resistance of some structure makes it necessary to reduce the energy to be absorbed by the surge arrester, in TL with lightning ground wires.

*** Before and after the transmission line configuration change. 3 PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT STUDIES In general, using an adequate protection offered by lightning ground wires and with a correct size and type of ground electrode, it is possible to get an improvement in the reducing of outages number caused by lightning discharges in transmission lines. Currently, the use of zinc oxide lightning surge arresters (ZnO) has allowed the attainment of significant performance improvement of transmission lines especially in places of high operational diversity. The performance improvement of transmission lines in operation and project in the CEMIG, with regard to outages caused by lightning discharges, has been executed in two stages: Stage 1: application of conventional measures that involve the improvement of tower footing ground resistances with the installation of bentonite to reduce resistivity where necessary. Stage 2: application of ZnO surge arresters, under the approach of the relation cost x benefit to the transmission line performance, when the conventional measures are not enough to attain the desired improvement. 3.1- Application of Conventional Measures for Lines Transmission Performance Improvement It consists of transmission line performance evaluation through ground resistances measurements and its improvement through the installation of counterpoise and application of resistivity reducing (bentonite). The type of industrial process and the consumer demand are considered in the analysis of transmission lines operational performance. When the conventional measures are not enough to attain a good performance of the TL, the alternative measures are used (ZnO). 3.2- Application of Alternative Measures Transmission Line Performance Improvement for

Aiming to get the desired improvement in the TL performance, alternative measures as the installation of ZnO lightning surge arresters are adopted. They are analyzed under the approach of cost x benefit to be proportionate to the TL performance.

4 DEVELOPMENT AND WORK GROUP ACTIONS From experimental installations studies we verify the viability and effectiveness of the technique, however CEMIG still faced the financial problem to make possible the widespread application of lightning arresters in its

problematic lines. The costs of these lightning arresters until then were very raised and necessarily imported; this became the acquisition process very long. Objectifying to make possible the application of this type of lightning arresters in CEMIG lines, the work group, in partnership with national manufacturers of lightning arresters, as focused in this material development using national manufacture components, with the exception of the ZnO varistor, aiming to reduce costs and to mitigate the operational difficulties of acquisition. During a period of approximately two years, the work group had meetings, and the result was the adequacy of the CEMIG technical specification, contemplating all the necessary characteristics to manufacture the lightning arresters to attend the lines necessities. From this specification, an industrial partner developed and manufactured lightning arresters for transmission lines (TLA) on the voltage range from 34.5 kV to 138 kV, class 2.

submitted to the acceptance tests in LEMAT - CEMIG and the measured values were compared with the normalized and project values.

4.1 A 36 kV Ur Balestro TLA in test at LEMAT/CEMIG The prototypes development, tool rack adequacy, polymer injection system, automatic disconnector and production line for lightning arresters manufacture, were implemented only after the laboratory results analyses, always accomplished in the laboratories of the industrial partner and LEMAT - CEMIG. In this first stage it was looked for evaluate the developed project in relation to the fulfillments of all normative requirements contained in the 02.118-CEMIG-0684 technical specification and IEC 60099-4 standards. Moreover, special attention was given to the consolidation of a project capable to support the mechanical forces proceeding from the proper application and a cage type system; with the objective to contain the active part (varistors) against short-circuits forces. Also, during the project stage, solutions for correction the problems detected in the lightning arresters upper terminals had been presented, developing an articulated connection in this terminal, reducing remarkably the interventions in terminal breaks due to fatigue. The second stage of this development was to evaluate the 36 kV lightning arresters pilot lot field performance, installing them in a line located in a region with high lightning discharge density, monitoring the line performance, and the chosen experimental line was in the Diamantina region. At the end of this development process, the industrial partner won an open CEMIG utility tender to supply a significant amount of lightning arresters, in the rated voltages of 36 kV, 75 kV and 120 kV, however this had the CEMIG requirement of lightning arresters previous homologation and the accomplishment of all type tests and acceptance tests. The lightning arresters homologation process was constituted of three stages, the first one was the technical industry evaluation, the second was the samples choice for test and the third was the accomplishment of the type testes and acceptance tests. The main goal of technical industry evaluation was the production capacity, the manufacture uniformity, the quality control during productive processes and the electric and physical chemistry laboratories capacity. Concluded the Technical Industry evaluation, the next step was the accomplishment of the samples manufacture for homologation tests. Before these samples manufacture, CEMIG selected and identified varistors made by an European (Switzerland) manufacturer, in enough quantity for all tests required..

5 PILOT MANUFACTURE, HOMOLOGATION AND TESTS Finished completely the project stage and the production line adequacies, the industrial partner produced a pilot lot of lightning arresters with 36 kV rated voltage. These lightning arresters, after production release, were

These varistors had been selected in a bet of approximately 2,500 varistors existing in the industrial partner warehouse, as previous agreement. CEMIG accomplished all the stages of arresters samples production and tests, cared on prorated section complete lightning arrester, housing and automatic disconnector carried out in the laboratories of Balestro, LEMAT/ CEMIG, IEE - USP and CESI - Italy, in accordance with CEMIG and IEC standards. During these lightning arresters installation, the CEMIG Maintenance coordination and Engineering Management team identified that the installation of the lightning arresters directly in the transmission lines towers arms was, in some cases, better than suspended in the line conductor, however this meant that the automatic disconnector would be submitted to an inadequate continuous torsion load, out of its project conception. The manufacturer shown solution, observing this new type of installation, was to modify the automatic disconnector installation position, using a device to allow that the disconnector would be only submitted to tension loads and not to the torsion ones. Moreover, in some towers, the 120 kV lightning arresters indicated the necessity of plus a new type of installation, or either, the energized terminal would have to be in the reverse position. In this case, the grading ring had to be installed in the opposite position to be connected to the line potential.

programming foreseen, with the installation executed with the transmission line off. The performance of the TL Diamantina - Gouveia and the lightning surge arresters physical conditions will be followed, in the next rainy periods, with the aim to verify the performance of the Brazilian surge arresters in transmission lines. Figures of the installation

Fig 6.1 36 kV Brazilian ZnO Lightning Arrester

Fig 6.2 36 kV Brazilian ZnO Lightning Arrester

6 FIELD EXPERIMENTAL INSTALLATION Brazilian ZnO surge arrester class 2 were installed in the transmission line Diamantina 1 Parana (US) In 2006 81 Brazilian ZnO lightning surge arresters, Ur = 36 kV class 2, were acquired and 16 Brazilian ZnO lightning surge arresters, Ur = 36 kV class 1, were received as industrial partner samples, for installation in the LT Diamantina 1 - Parana (US) 34.5 kV. The acquired lightning surge arresters were installed in the section Diamantina 1 - Gouveia 2 with the goal to improve its performance against lightning discharges, while the lightning surge arresters samples were installed for tests in the section Gouveia 3 - Parana. The services of installation of the lightning surge arresters were done successful, having been fulfilled the

Acquisition of 105 Brazilian ZnO lightning surge arresters, Ur = 120 kV - class 2, for installation in the new LT Arax - Jaguara 138 kV At the end of 2006 were installed 105 Brazilian ZnO surge arresters in the LT Arax Jaguara, following project studies orientation. The installation passed for the first rainy period, not presenting any problems of surge arresters functioning. Figures of the installation:

Fig 6.3 120 kV Brazilian ZnO Lightning Arrester

Fig 6.4 120 kV Brazilian ZnO Lightning Arrester

The only abnormality occurred until the moment was the actuation of a ZnO lightning arrester automatic disconnector due to a short circuit through the external part of the polymer cover caused by Curicaca bird streamer. The lightning arrester was removed from TL, tested in laboratory and, later, reinstalled in the TL. The occurrence of Curicaca bird streamer outages is verified on CEMIG lines in [10].

It is important to point out that using vanguard technology and the partnership, the project aim was reached and today we have in Brazil a product with high quality and nationalization index, making possible its installation in new transmission lines with a favorable cost-benefit relation, especially in the 138 kV voltage. Larges power consumers in Brazil reveal today interested in financial participating in works for transmission lines performance improvement, aiming to reduce their operational losses caused by outages.

REFERENCES

[1] A. Schei, et al, Application of Metal Oxide Surge Arresters to Overhead Lines. Working Group 11 of CIGRE Study Committee 33. Electra no 186. October 1999. [2] L. C. L. Cherchiglia, A. Cazetta F, R. J. dos Reis, G. E. S. Amorim, CEMIG Experience in Improving Transmission Line Lightning Performance using a Lightning Location System, Cigr, Paris, session 2002, group 33-207. [3] "Guide to Procedures for Estimating the Lightning Performance of Transmission Lines ". CIGRE Working Group 01 of SC 33, October 1991. [4] "IEEE Guide for Improving the Lightning Performance of Transmission Lines, IEEE PES Std 1243-1997

Fig 6.5 Curicaca bird on the tower

[5] Ana Cristina Guar Bezerra, Diagnstico de Desempenho sob Ao de Descargas Atmosfricas de LT em Projeto com Aplicao de Pra-raios de ZnO, Cigr, XV SNPTEE, Group III, Foz do Iguau, Brazil, October, 1999 [6] A. D. Andrade, Rubens L. Markiewicz, Experincia da Cemig na Instalao de Pra-Raios de ZnO em Linhas de Transmisso Aspectos de Manuteno, Cigr, XVI SNPTEE, Group X, Campinas, Brazil, October, 2001 [7] Antnio D. Andrade, Ana Cristina G. Bezerra, Rubens L. Markiewicz, Melhoria de Desempenho de Linhas de Transmisso sob a Ao de Descargas Atmosfricas, Cigr, VI SBQEE, Belm, Brazil, October, 2005 [8] EMTP/ATP Program Electromagnetic Transients Program. [9] SIGMA SLP Program Version 1.1, Sadovic Consultant, France, 1999 [10] Rubens L. Markiewicz, et al, Influncia do Comportamento de Pssaros no Desempenho De Linhas de Transmisso, Cigr, XVIII SNPTEE, Group III, Curitiba, Brazil, October, 2005

7 CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS Performance improvement studies carried out by CEMIG have brought excellent benefits for the TL performance, with consequent improvement of energy quality supplied to the consumers; In new projects and system increasing, CEMIG has looked for contemplate performance improvement actions in TL to be constructed; Due to the high costs of the application, the utility researched and found a good alternative to guarantee the continuity of the project of TL performance improvements; A work group was formed involving CEMIG and manufacturers with the aim to develop the Brazilian surge arresters manufacture and to look for their cost reduction; The nationalization of the ZnO surge arresters manufacture presented resulted initial good results with future perspectives of profits with the product more accessible and of lower cost.